Water and air projecting device



AWN flfim IF, W, ELL,

WATER AND MR PROJEGTING mvmm Filed Dec. 12, 19 W Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER. AND AIR PROJECTING DEVICE Floyd W. Ille, New York, N. Y.

Application December 12, 1940, Serial No. 369,904

9 Claims. (Cl. 4-480) co-pending application Serial Number 369,903

filed December 12, 1940, it may also have general application in many situations, and in other apparatus for bathing and therapeutic treatments and otherwise. The invention has for an aim a novel means for producing a stream of water mixed with air in a manner highly effective in therapeutic bath treatments, as more particularly disclosed in my said co-pending application.

It is a special aim to present such a device which is capable of producing a current or stream in a large body of water, in which there will be a mixture of the liquid and air in controlled proportions and with a wide range of control of its effect for producing stimulation of nerves and muscular reaction; producing massage, and enhancing oxidation of tissues and exudation from the epidermis of patients under treatment, as well as producing a wide range of massage effects and controlling the tolerance of the patient to a highternperature water treatment.

Additional objects include the evolution of nozzle structure and valves to enable the apparatus to produce the effects sought, and to present a novel construction in the means for effecting the movement of water and air, and their intermixture, as well as the proportions of each so that the relative quantities of water and air may be instantly controlled at the will of the operator, physician, or the patient.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiment of the invention, as will be more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a complete motor-operated water and air projecting device constructed in accordance with my invention in one form.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a bath installation in which my invention is employed.

As shown in Figure 3, my invention is especially useful when mounted upon a carriage l0 travelling upon a track way ll, fixed around a bath tank or the like l2, as illustrated in Figure 3,

although it may have other uses and mounting, as may be found desirable. The purpose of the particular mounting in Figure 3 is .to enable the motor-ejector unit to be readily moved about the body of the patient, so that the beneficial stream produced in the body of water or other liquid in the bath tank may be directed to various parts of the body of a patient. These details are shown as exemplifying the use of the invention and are claimed in my co-pending application.

The peculiar benefits produced by the stream of admixed air and water are specifically dealt with in the introduction to the specification of my co-pending application, to which reference is made for further understanding of its utility and use.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is illustrated a mounting which includes as an important element a vertical tube l3, in which there is slidable a bar l4, upon the upper end of which there is mounted a laterally projecting arm 15, which may be either rotatable upon the bar, or rotatable with the bar in the mounting tube IS. The arm carries at its extremity a motor housing H3, in which there is incorporated a motor ll of conventional construction, the details of which are not illustrated, since they comprise no novel part of the present invention. The motor is mounted upon a vertical axis, and fixed in relation to the housing I6, there is a depending tube l8 carrying at its lower end a centrifugal pump The case IS, in which an impeller 20 operates. motor shaft 21 is coupled to a shaft extension 22 which is connected to a rotor, as shown. The

pump is formed with a coaxial intake 23 having an L termination directed to what may be termed the rear of the pump, and the case is formed with a discharge nozzle diametrically opposite the inlet end of the intake extension, and

arranged to discharge water taken through the intake substantially in a direction directly opposite that of the intake.

Incorporated in the intake extension 23, there is a suitable valve 25 having an operating stem 26 extended upwardly to a level closely adjacent the motor, and provided there with a manual operating wheel or hand-wheel N, by which the quantity of water admitted to the pump may be controlled.

The motor housing is formed with a chambered enlargement or extension 28, constituting a fan casing fixed with the motor case, and the motor shaft is provided with air impeller vanes 29, the

extension 20 being formed with an air outlet port 30, and suitable means being incorporatedto ad-Q mit air to the case, either through the motor from uk above, or through suitable apertures in the case extension 28 at the lower side. From the port 30, an air tube or duct 3! is extended downwardly ose beside the tube l8, to a point immediately over the case l9, where it is turned outwardly, and thence downwardly, before the discharge nozzle 24, this duct terminating immediately before the nozzle, to constitute a jet mouth 32.

It should be noted that the nozzle 24 is somewhat broadened, and formed with a rectangular opening at its discharge, and the jet mouth 32 extends downwardly substantially in a vertical direction, or normal to thedirection of the discharge nozzle 24. It is located in close spaced relation to the nozzle 24, and formed with an end edge around the mouth, which is in a plane inclined upwardly from the horizontal in the direction away from the nozzle longitudinally of the latter, so that when water or other liquid is ejected from the nozzle, it will produce an injector action across the mouth 32, tending to create a vacuous condition immediately outward of the mouth, so that air in communication with the duct 3| will be drawn downwardly.

In the present instance, this plane is inclined upwardly away from the nozzle at an angle of degrees to the horizontal in one form of the device, although this may be modified to produce different effects, according to the nature of treatment to be administered.

Immediately adjacent the fan casing extension 28, a valve 33 is incorporated in the air duct 3|, by which the amount of air admitted to the duct may be controlled, this valve having a hand-wheel 34 arranged conveniently for manipulation by persons operating the device. If desired, the mouth element 32 may be formed as a detachable member, replaceable by other mouth elements having larger or smaller openings, or in which the plane in which the opening terminates is at a different angle to the horizontal, so that the device may be varied in its effect within certain limits, as will be readily understood.

The device as described is so constructed for the purpose of mounting it with the pump case submerged to a substantial depth in a body of water, such as required to cover the body of a patient in a suitable bath tank or tub, and in its operation it produces a stream or under-current extending outwardly from the nozzle of the pump with rapidly broadened shape, in which stream there is a substantial mixture of air in bubble form, the stream moving with sufficient rapidity to impinge upon the body of a patient at a distance from the nozzle, while the air bubbles are still well inter-mixed therein and not materially risen from the point of ejection of the device. It is found desirable to proportion this device so that it is capable of delivering not less than thirty-five gallons of water per minute with a velocity of not less than 2200 linear feet per minute when operated with the valve in full open position. When operated at this capacity, and with the air tube mouth 32 and the duct made substantially the proportions illustrated, the injector action will cause the admixture of not less than twenty thousand eight hundred and forty (20,840) cubic inches of air per minute in the stream projected from the device, at the normal pressure or head of water in a bath tank or tub as described.

The illustration in Figure 1 represents the device substantially one-third actual size, the nozzle 24 ordinarily having a transverse area of approximately one square inch, while the mouth 32 is of substantially the same area.

The benefits of the use of this device when directed against the person of a patient suffering with partially paralyzed members or other diseases and injuries in which combined bath and massage treatments are indicated as beneficial, and especially in which the peculiar nature of action of my invention are beneficial, are well understood and described with more particarity in my said co-pending application. The stream produced by the device having air admixed therein is specially beneficial in improving circulatory and reflex nerve elfects in human tissues, especially in conjunction with the heating of the water ejected by the device, and the invention is peculiar in the nature of the massage, titilating and otherwise stimulating effects of the stream ejected therefrom.

The character of the air bubbles in the stream ejected by the device may be varied, and also the force of the stream, by the proper manipulation of the valves 25 and 33, as will be readily understood, and also, some modification may be produced by substituting nozzles having different angles in relation to the direction of the water jet ejected from the nozzle 24. It may also be found desirable to vary the size of the mouth 32 of the air jet, by making the latter mouth in the form of detachable fitting, which may be replaced by others of larger or smaller dimensions, as well as varying in angles, as before stated. Variation in effect may also be produced by making the nozzle 24 as a replaceable member for like purposes.

By properly adjusting the air and water supply, and proportions of the nozzle and air jet mouth, the device is adapted to operate when submerged to produce an under-water stream as described, suitable to various afliictions or requirements of patients to be given therapeutic treatments, and by oscillating the device, the stream may be moved with respect to the body of the patient, so as to effect a masasge of any desired local area, or to produce a "stroking effeet, in addition to enabling the current to be directed longitudinally of limbs or other body parts, or to enable it to be directed at normal or lesser angles to the surfaces impinged upon, according to the nature of the treatments desired, some of which have been described in my said co-pending application.

While I have described with great particularity, an embodiment of the invention adapted for practical use and found beneficial in sanitariums, hospitals and doctors offices, it will be understood that this is exemplary and that various modifications in the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts, with substitution of equivalents may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as more particularly set forth in the appended claims. The invention has been found useful in medical and massage and other manipulatory therapeutic practice in rapidly increasing local circulation, reducing pain and muscle spasms, mechanically removing infection and exudates; improving tissue oxidation; softening scar tissues and adhesions; relieving pain in joint and bone injuries; in peripheral nerve injuries, in the treatment of painful injuries of the extremities, and trauma, generally. It has also been found to improve recovery functions following fractures, and following joint injuries and diseases, such as contusions, sprains, infections, arthritis, synovitis, tenosynovitis, with adhesions, and for muscle re-education and aftercare in infantile paralysis, as well as other uses indicated by this practice.

I claim:

1, Atherapeutic bath device consisting of a centrifugal pump device having an impeller and a case having an outlet nozzle, and a forced air supply means including a duct having a mouth,

terminating immediately before the nozzle.

2. A therapeutic device consisting of a pump device having a discharge nozzle and a forced external air supply means including a duct having a mouth terminating immediately before the nozzle.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said nozzle is broadened and said mouth terminates in a plane at an acute angle to the major transverse plane of the nozzle.

4. The structure of claim 2 in which said pump includes a mounting and operativ means movable vertically for submergence at depths variable at will in a bath.

5.. The structure of claim 1 in which a motor mounting is included, a support therefor, means to elevate and lower the support, said motor mounting including a depending extension having said pump mounted on the lower end thereof, said extension being of a length to enable submergence of the pump in a liquid to a depth for treatment of a person, submerged therein while the motor is above the liquid.

6. The structure of claim 1 in which the pump has a vertical axis, a motor mounting, a support therefor including a support, means to raise and lower the motor on the support having a, rotor on a vertical axis, said mounting having a depending extension, said pump mounted at the extremity of the latter, a concentric shaft extension from the motor on said axis connected to the pump impeller, said air supply means in-' eluding an air propelling means operatively associated with the motor and a duct therefrom extended beside said depending extension, said extension being of substantial length to permit submergence of the pump to the lower part of a bath.

7. The structure of claim 2 in which said pump is mounted on a support adapted to be vertically adjusted and movable rotatively on a vertical axis.

8. A device of the character described consisting of a support, a bracket arm mounted thereon for horizontal swinging movement, a motor thereon having a shaft on a vertical axis at the extremity of the arm, a depending case extension from the arm concentric with the motor, a shaft extension in the extension concentric with and operatively connected to the motor shaft, a centrifugal pump device having an impeller rotatable on the axis of the shaft, and having a case fixed at the lower extremity of said extension, said case having a lateral discharge nozzle, said motor having an air supply device thereon, a duct therefrom extended downwardly beside said extension first named, in close relation and having a mouth at the lower extremity before said nozzle, and

respective hand valves in the duct and operatively connected with the pump to control respectively the quantity of air and liquid discharged by the device. 1

9. A therapeutic device consisting of a pump device having a discharge nozzle and a forced external air supply means including a duct having a mouth terminating immediately before the nozzle and a valve in the duct for controlling the air supplied at the discharge nozzle.

FLOYD W. Ill-LE. 

